A Threat to " Eggs and Bacon " !

African Swine Fever is sweeping the world and one of our main food sources is in danger.  Once it takes hold in a country the pig mortality rate is one hundred percent. We are free of it in Australia at present, but the big worry is infestation occurring in Indonesia and the near inevitability of Australian tourists to Bali bringing it back on their clothing or shoes.

The other contamination point occurs when incoming tourists from infected countries try to smuggle banned foodstuffs through customs.  It is common for people visiting relatives in Australia to bring delicacies cooked to present traditional tastes and often this is not declared on the customs form each passenger is required to signs.  We have sniffer dogs working the luggage carousels with training to detect food odours and the detection rate of undeclared food is worryingly high.

In the past, customs inspectors have confiscated the contraband and had it destroyed and simply given the passenger a warning.  Should that passenger reoffend on a subsequent visit the offence would be treated more harshly and result in a substantial fine.  With the Swine Fever threat getting ever closer customer luggage checks will require closer attention and any form of food contraband will be treated very seriously.

There is the very obvious problem of language when passengers do not read or speak English.  We would be wise to issue multi-language information sheets along with entry visas explaining the need to declare all and every food item and the penalties that apply when contraband is detected.  It is also obvious that the imposition of heavy fines will spread the word through tourist hubs that Australia treats undeclared food seriously and will impose automatic penalties for even slight breaches.

Customs officials will also be very interested in the entry and exit visas stamped in visitors passports. Should a person entering Australia from a disease free country have a record of travelling through an infected country they will make a careful inspection of that persons footwear.  Contamination from anywhere associated with pigs could allow the disease to gain a foothold in this country and those shoes would need professional disinfection.

The big fear is that Swine Fever will make entry into Indonesia because Bali has become a favoured destination for Australian tourists. If that happens the chance that it may be brought back to Australia on someone's clothing or footwear increases substantially. In Australia pigs are usually farmed in a small number of high intensity farm complexes but in Asia the pig is part of villager life and not closely contained.

Apart from the financial damage Swine Fever would cause to our agricultural industry, pork is a highly regarded ingredient of the Australian lifestyle.  The very thought of a pork roast with crackling is enough to get the taste buds salvinating, and life withoutg a few rashers of bacon as part of the weekly meat order would be unthinkable.

It all depends on whether our customs defences can stem the tide  !